Critical times require a critical response
by closet-hopeless-romantic
Summary: After Bud's accident, Harm and Mac come to their senses and accept what's been in front of them the entire time of course with these two the course of true love will never run smooth, hints of HarrietBud and JenMikey in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**These first two chapters are going to recount the end of Critical Condition from Mac's, and then Harm's point of view, before we get to the rest of the story. Sort of like an Introduction. anyway i hope you like it!**

** for those of you waiting my next chapter of adrift part 3, it should be up in a couple of days, its done but im not** **completely happy with it, as soon as i am i'll post it.**

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Mac's POV**

"He's stable."

I don't think I've every heard words that have brought me more happiness. I don't really hear what else the doctor says, but I smile at her, the relief evident on my face.

"Thank you." I say. Suddenly I'm aware that the warmth that was at my shoulder had disappeared, and I turn to see Harm stumbling backwards to collapse in one of the waiting chairs.

"Harm!" I exclaim, moving quickly over to sit next to him, grabbing his hands in mine. He looks completely broken, the tears that he had refused to let fall now running down his handsome face in relief. He blinks at me, and opens his mouth to say something; words failing him completely, settling for leaning his head forward, his forehead touching mine. For the moment, I resist the temptation to wipe the tears away, laying my head on his shoulder, not caring who could see and I feel him press a soft kiss onto my hair. Our hands cling together, each providing the other with the strength that has all but been sapped by the relief that we are currently feeling.

I don't know how long we sit there, the recent stresses have sent my body clock haywire, but we are interrupted by Coates returning.

"Sir? Ma'am? Has there been any news?" she looks at us, fear written all over her face, and I instantly understand that she has misread the tears on Harm's face.

"He's stable Jen." I say quickly, now was not a time for ranks, military or no military. At the moment we are more like a family, united by mutual worry for one of our own.

The relief on Jen's face mirrors our own,

"Oh thank god." She manages to get out, collapsing in the seat next to me.

"You did well Jen," I say softly, "You probably saved his life."

"Thank you Ma'am." Jen replies, "We should let Lieutenant Sims and everyone at JAG that he's ok." She adds, looking at me with tears of relief in her eyes. I nod at her, and turn to the man sitting next to me, who hasn't said a word since the doctor came out to speak to us.

"Harm?" I say softly, squeezing his hand gently. I feel a small amount of pressure on my hand in response, but other than that Harm gives no appearance of having heard me.

"Sir?" Jen adds, worry returning to her voice at the sight of him like this.

"Harm, come on, we need to phone Harriet and the Admiral." I get up, gently trying to extricate my hands from his. He looks at me, his blue green eyes confused, and wordlessly tightens his grip on my hand, refusing to let go. I can feel Jen's eyes on us, so I turn to her, "Jen, go and get the call set up in Bud's office, the Commander and I will be along in a minute."

"Yes Ma'am" she replies, and I hear her leave. I wait a moment, until I'm sure she is out of earshot.

"Harm," I say softly, "come on flyboy, talk to me. We've got to let everybody know that he's ok."

"Mac," he manages to say softly, using his hold on my hand to pull me closer to him. "Is he really ok?" I smile, unable to stop the tears from spilling from my eyes again, and nod at him,

"He's going to be fine." I promise, "The doctor said he was stable, and that he put up one hell of a fight." He lets out a shaky breath and this time I don't resist; reaching my free hand up to wipe the tears away from his face with my thumb. His eyes flutter closed at my touch, a look of peace flashing across his boyish face.

"Mac?" he whispers again, opening his eyes to look deep into mine, "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too" I whisper back, slightly taken aback by the look in his eyes. Its one I've only seen a couple of times, and now, as then the sheer intensity of those eyes, scares me a little; scares me enough to hope that maybe now, after all that has happened in the last few weeks and years, we might have our shot. I push that thought quickly to the back of my mind, now was not the time for these thoughts; if fate truly meant us to be together, which the little girl inside me believed it did, then although this might be the kick we need, there were more important things that need our attention right now. I manage a small smile, pulling my attention away from my thoughts and back to the man sitting in front of me. "Come on squid," I say, trying to pull him to his feet, "let's go and spread the good news." He nods at me and slowly gets to his feet, steadfastly refusing to let go of my hand. A midshipman running past soon put a stop to that, startling Harm into realising where we were and he dropped my hand quickly, a slight blush colouring his face. _Aww that is so cute,_ I think, resisting the urge to reach up and ruffle his hair; he really does look like a boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and I wonder for what seems like the millionth time what our children would look like. _Snap out of it Mackenzie, _I tell myself sternly, turning quickly to head off to Bud's office. I barely get three steps away before I feel myself spin around and a pair of arms wrap firmly around my shoulders, pulling me into a hug. This time it is my turn to cry, and I find I cannot stop the tears from falling. We stay there for about thirty seconds until I realise where I am and force myself to stop crying. I pull back and look up at him,

"Better?" he asks quietly, concern written all over his face. I nod,

"Thanks" I manage to whisper, amazed at how comfortable I feel crying in his presence. I'm a Marine, and Marines don't cry; me especially, I hate to cry, and crying in front of someone is something that I never let myself do. I hate to show that kind of weakness in front of anyone. Apart from Harm it seems.

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**hope you liked it:o)**


	2. Chapter 2

**OK, hope you liked the first installment, now for the same events from Harmºs point of view, then the story will start proper i promise!**

**all reviews appreciated :o)**

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**Harm's POV**

"He's stable."

At the doctor's words I feel all the nervous energy that has kept me going over the last few hours desert me, and I stumble backwards, collapsing in one of the waiting chairs. He's ok. Or at least, he is going to be. Try as I may, I can't stop tears of relief escaping my eyes to leave trails down my face. I feel Mac slip her hands into mine, and I look at her, my beautiful Marine, unable to speak. The concern I see in her eyes makes me want to pull her into my arms and kiss her senseless, but for the moment, in hindsight a lucky turn of events considering where we are right now, movement eludes me and I settle for resting my head against hers, clinging onto her hand like a lifeline. She rests her head on my shoulders, and I gently drop a kiss onto her hair. I am so glad she is here.

I don't know how long we sit there, but suddenly I am aware that Coates has rejoined us, but still I cannot find the energy to talk, let alone move to look at or console her. Mac and Jen are obviously talking, as I can vaguely here a soft murmur, but I cannot focus on their words, the shock of the last half a day still refusing to wear off. The only thing I am aware of right now is the feeling of Mac's hand in my own, a pillar of strength in a world that has quite clearly gone mad.

"Harm?" I hear my name being called, and feel Mac squeeze my hand gently. I grip her hand tighter, suddenly afraid that she's going to take her hand away, but other than that can't bring myself to respond. I hear Coates' voice,

"Sir?" she sounds worried, but still I don't move.

"Harm, come on, we need to phone Harriet and the Admiral." Mac says to me, and I feel her get up, trying to remove her hand from my grip, and I turn my head to look at her as quickly as I can manage, still refusing to let go of her hand.

I hear her address Jen, "Jen, go and get the call set up in Bud's office, the Commander and I will be along in a minute."

"Yes Ma'am" she replies, and I hear her leave.

"Harm," Mac repeats softly, "come on flyboy, talk to me. We've got to let everybody know that he's ok."

"Mac," I manage to croak out, pulling her back closer to me again, "Is he really ok?" She smiles at me and nods, and I notice a couple of tears escaping from her eyes.

"He's going to be fine." She replies, "The doctor said he was stable, and that he put up one hell of a fight." I feel myself let out a breath that I didn't even realise I was holding and suddenly I feel her thumb tracing its way gently down my cheek, wiping away the tears. I can't help it, my eyes close, relishing in the feeling of her fingers on my face.

"Mac?" I whisper, opening my eyes and looking deeply into hers, "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too" she whispers in response, and I see a hint of confusion and fear, mingled with sadness and relief in those beautiful brown eyes. I manage a small smile, trying to convey to her just how much I am glad she is here.

"Come on squid," she says, and I feel her trying to pull me to my feet, "let's go and spread the good news." I nod at me and slowly get to my feet, still unwilling to let go of her hand. Suddenly a midshipman comes past, and I realise exactly where we are, dropping her hand in embarrassment. _Smooth Rabb, real smooth, _I berate myself. She pauses for a moment, looking at me with an unreadable expression in her eyes, before turning quickly away and starting to walk away. I'm lucky my legs are longer than hers, and I catch up to her before she has gone 4 steps. I put my hand on her shoulder, spinning her round to face me. I se the surprise on her face, and know now that what I'm about to do is the right thing; I pull her into a massive bear hug, wrapping my arms around her, and pulling her flush against my body. She stiffens slightly for a second, and then I feel her shoulders start to shake, as it is her turn to let the tears fall. I stroke her back gently, until I feel her stop shaking and she leans back to look at me,

"Better?" I ask softly, hoping she doesn't resent the concern that I know is all written all over my face. She nods,

"Thanks" She whispers, and pulls out of my embrace. An action I like to think she does reluctantly, but honestly, I can't tell. The fact that she has yet to kick my six for hugging her in the middle of an aircraft carrier ignites a small spark of hope inside me; we have definitely been getting closer recently, and I wonder if it is finally our time? I shake that thought out of my mind for the moment though, for now there are more important things to take care of.

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**If you enjoyed it let me know:o) and if you didn't thats ok too - all types of reviews are welcomed!**

**i'll have the next chappie up asap!! **


	3. Chapter 3

thanks for all the reviews :o) im glad you liked how this started off! this is going to go very AU now, although will probably incorporate bits and pieces from actual series 8 events, im not sure yet.

anyways i hope you all like this next installment!

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Mac was just sitting at her desk reading an email from Chloe when she heard a knock at her door. She looked up to see Harm leaning casually against the doorframe, two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Is that coffee for me?!" she asked eagerly; she had been regretting that she hadn't stopped in the break room on her way to her desk, but couldn't quite find the energy to get up and fetch herself some coffee. Harm chuckled,

"Good morning to you too ninja girl!" he replied with a grin, shuffling into the room and setting the two cups on her desk. Mac had the grace to look slightly embarrassed, and blushed as she reached out to grab one of the proffered cups.

"Sorry!" she said with a grin, lifting the lid off one of the steaming cups and inhaling deeply, "Morning flyboy!" Harm grinned at her easily, making himself comfortable in chair opposite. Ever since they had returned from the Guadalcanal after Bud's accident, Harm had been making a point of bringing them both breakfast to her office before staff call so they could sit, quite often in comfortable silence, enjoying each others company.

"I thought maybe I would go and see Bud at lunchtime." Harm said after a few minutes of easy silence, "See how he is doing, would you like to come with me?"

"That's a good idea, I get the feeling from Harriet that he is a little down at the moment." Mac agreed readily, eager to go and visit her friend, but at the same time relishing the chance to spend some time with Harm. She wasn't sure what had changed since their return, but something had; the dynamic between them had shifted, and they were growing closer each day.

"He'll be ok Mac," Harm replied, correctly interpreting the look of worry that flashed across her face, "He's a fighter. And he has Harriet and little AJ there to support him every step of the way."

"I know" she replied softly, "I just still can't believe that it happened. We almost lost him!" Harm looked at her closely, noting the tears glinting in her eyes, coupled with the dark circles that surrounded them. He reached over the desk and gave her hand a squeeze.

"But we didn't" he replied firmly, "He's here, and he's going to be ok." Mac let out a shaky breath and nodded.

"Thanks" she replied softly, "We better go, we don't want to be late for staff call." She stood up quickly, turning away slightly to brush away the tears that had been threatening to fall, momentarily surprised when she suddenly felt Harm's arms wrap around her, pulling her into a hug.

"Do you have any plans for Saturday?" he asked, acting as though his action had been the most natural thing in the world.

"No, why?" Mac looked up at him in confusion,

"I was thinking of maybe offering to look after little AJ for the day, give Harriet some free time to spend with Bud in the hospital. Do you fancy helping me look after a precocious 3 year old?!" he looked at her hopefully, "I'll even throw in dinner and a movie!"

"Why, you make it sounds so appealing!" Mac replied teasingly, pulling back reluctantly from his embrace. Harm pouted at her.

"Is that a yes?" he said with a sweet smile.

"Sure, I better tag along to make sure the two of you don't get into any trouble!" Mac replied with a laugh, "Come on Flyboy, we don't want the Admiral to chew us out for being late!" They headed out of her office together, both trying to hide their contented smiles at getting to spend more time together.

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"Hi Bud! How are you doing buddy?" Harm called as he and Mac walked into Bud's room at Bethesda. Bud was lying in his bed reading what looked suspiciously like one of the Harry Potter books.

"Sir, ma'am!" he acknowledged, attempting to sit up a little bit straighter.

"Bud, you are not in uniform, please call us Harm and Mac!" Mac said quietly, smiling at him in amusement. Bud smiled, the smile not quite reaching his eyes.

"Sorry, force of habit!" he replied sheepishly, "Thank you for coming to see me, I had resorted to carrying on reading the book that I read to little AJ when he comes to visit." He gestured to the book in his lap.

"Oooh the third Harry Potter book!" Mac exclaimed excitedly, "It's fantastic, it's definitely the best one yet….what?!" she asked, catching Harm's slightly incredulous look.

"You read Harry Potter jarhead?!" he asked, delight unmistakeable in his tone, "Isn't that a little, I dunno, childish for a Marine?!" Mac laughed and poke her tongue out at him.

"How would you know Squid?! Have you read them?" she replied good-naturedly, "Besides I need something to keep me occupied when I can't sleep!" she added with a shrug.

"I can think of few things.." Harm said flirtatiously without thinking. Mac spun round to look at him, surprise mingled with shock and amusement flashing across her face. Glancing at Bud, he saw a similar expression on his friend's face and blushed, feeling the tips of his ears go pink.

"I..uh.. mean…" he stuttered, much to the amusement of the other two. Mac started to giggle,

"Yellow light Commander!" she replied, in a similar flirty tone, trying not to laugh too much at his embarrassment.

"Sorry Mac!" Harm said contritely, "So Bud," he continued hastily, "Have they given you any idea of when you'll be able to go home?"

"In about a week if all goes well," Bud replied, "My PT is going ok, it's quite tough, but I'm getting there." He smiled slightly, "But I don't want to talk about that. How is everybody at JAG? I hear Lieutenant Singer has been sent out in my place? Have you had any interesting cases?"

The three of them settled into a relaxed conversation, discussing the merits of the case they were currently working on. Eventually a nurse came into the room.

"Come on Lieutenant," she said chirpily, "It's time for physical therapy." Both Harm and Mac noted the flicker of annoyance and fear that appeared on Bud's face at her words.

"We better get back to work too Harm," Mac said, looking over at Harm in concern. Harm sighed.

"I spose you right ninja girl." He replied, "We'll pop back and see you in a couple of days Bud if that's ok?"

"Thanks for stopping by Commander, Colonel" he replied with another smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Bud!" they exclaimed in unison; now it was his turn for the tips of his ears to go pink.

"Sorry." He said quietly, "it's just a hard habit to break you know?!" Mac smiled at him and got up, leaning over to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Good luck with you PT" she said, "If you have any thoughts on the case then let us know." Bus visibly perked up at that,

"I will Mac, thanks again for stopping by." He shook hands with Harm and they left the room.

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The minute that they got to the car Mac stopped and took a deep breath,

"I'm worried about Bud Harm" she said, looking over at her companion as they got into the car. Harm side, pressing his fingers to his temples and closing his eyes.

"Me too. But he's been through so much, is must be a huge thing for him to deal with."

"He will be ok won't he?"

"Of course he will. Bud's strong, he will get there, whatever it takes." Harm was still sat massaging his temples, and Mac looked at him, concerned.

"Are you ok?"

"Just a headache. I haven't been sleeping well since it happened." He admitted with a rueful smile,

"Me neither." Mac admitted quietly, reaching up to move his hands from his temples. "Here" she said, gently running her hand through his hair, massaging his scalp gently. "Let me."

Harm moaned softly as he felt some of the tension flowing out of his body.

"That feels great Mac" he murmured huskily, his eyes snapping open when he realised what he had said, or more to the point how he had said it. To his surprise, Mac didn't smack him round the head, but she did stop her ministrations, looking at him in amusement,

"That better?!" she asked, "We better get back to the office Harm, we have that meeting with the Admiral at 1500."

"Yes Ma'am!" Harm replied with a mock salute. They drove back to headquarters in silence, both completely lost in their own thoughts:

_

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What is going on with him? Thought Mac, more than a little confused, although not entirely unhappy, __That comment in front of Bud?! What was that about? And his reaction to the head massage?! I love that he keeps bringing me breakfast though, it really is the sweetest thing. It's our time of day, we just get to sit and be together; I love it. But still, he's acting weirder than usual. Don't get me wrong. I like this new direction we're moving in, don't get me wrong; God knows I've been waiting long enough for us to get beyond the strictly static and platonic stage of our relationship, but I wonder if Harm realises he's doing it, or is just reaching out seeking comfort after everything that has been going on. _Mac wasn't stupid, she knew Harm would never knowingly hurt her, he was too much of a gentleman for that; but neither one of them did very well when it came to facing up to or talking about their feelings, especially when it came to the 'thing'/ the elephant in the room, that was their relationship. Both had been hurt too much, and in return hurt each other too much to be sure of how to move things forward. _Stop stressing _she told her self sternly, _it won't do you any good, and is more likely than anything to send Harm running for the hills. _She jumped suddenly when she felt Harm's hand on her arm.Thought Mac, more than a little confused, although not entirely unhappy, Mac wasn't stupid, she knew Harm would never knowingly hurt her, he was too much of a gentleman for that; but neither one of them did very well when it came to facing up to or talking about their feelings, especially when it came to the 'thing'/ the elephant in the room, that was their relationship. Both had been hurt too much, and in return hurt each other too much to be sure of how to move things forward. she told her self sternly, She jumped suddenly when she felt Harm's hand on her arm. 

"Mac?!" he was saying, "Hey Marine?! Are you still with us?" Mac blinked at him in confusion, still not quite comprehending what he was saying. Harm chuckled and gestured out the window, "We're back ninja girl! Time to get to work!" She shook her head slightly and smiled,

"Sorry Squid, I was miles away. Lets go shall we?" she said quickly, jumping out of the car. Harm laughed again in confusion and followed her, not wanting to be late for their meeting.

_

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I hope to god that I'm right and Bud is going to get through this. Poor guy, he looked so down this afternoon. Although he perked up when we were talking about the case; maybe it will help him if we sort of use him as a consultant on our cases, it did seem to take his mind of everything for a while. Hmmm, should probably clear that with Harriet though, I don't want her to get mad. Harm glanced over at the quiet Marine in the seat next to him. __I'm so glad she didn't kick my six for that comment in the hospital! Especially in front of Bud! _He thought, a contented smile appearing on his face when he realised something: she had only yellow lighted him! _What did she mean by that?! _He wondered, confused beyond belief. _And in that tone of voice as well; if it were anyone else I would say they were definitely flirting, but this is Sar..I mean Mac, that kind of flirting isn't normal for us! _He sighed softly;He too had felt the dynamic between them shift, but he was scared to wonder what it meant. He sure as hell knew what he _hoped _it meant, and if he was reading Mac right then she wanted the same thing. But this was them, they had never done very well at understanding each other when it came to their personal relationship: for them talking about it had always been nearly impossible, each seeming to have an inherent talent of misunderstanding the other when they tried to work it out. _We'll see how Saturday goes, _He decided as he pulled the car into the parking lot at JAG HQ. He pulled up in his regular space, and turned to look back at Mac who still hadn't moved and appeared completely lost in thought.Harm glanced over at the quiet Marine in the seat next to him. He thought, a contented smile appearing on his face when he realised something: she had only yellow lighted him! He wondered, confused beyond belief. He sighed softly;He too had felt the dynamic between them shift, but he was scared to wonder what it meant. He sure as hell knew what he it meant, and if he was reading Mac right then she wanted the same thing. But this was them, they had never done very well at understanding each other when it came to their personal relationship: for them talking about it had always been nearly impossible, each seeming to have an inherent talent of misunderstanding the other when they tried to work it out. He decided as he pulled the car into the parking lot at JAG HQ. He pulled up in his regular space, and turned to look back at Mac who still hadn't moved and appeared completely lost in thought. 

"Maaaccccc!" he said in a slightly sing song voice, reaching out to touch her arm, giving it a quick squeeze, "Hey Marine?! Are you still with us?!" He could hardly hold back a laugh when she blinked at him, looking completely confused.

"We're back ninja girl!" he continued, pointing out the windows at the large brick building to their right, "Time to get back to work!" She smiled at him, shaking her head slightly in a way that made him feel slightly mesmerised by the way the light caught her hair.

"Sorry Squid, I was miles away. Lets go shall we?" she replied, moving quickly to get out of the car. Harm just laughed, shaking his head slightly, and got out of the car to follow her.

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well there we go, thats that chapter done and dusted, how was it?

im planning on alternating writing these chapters with the chapters from my other story 'adrift part 3' as i tend to write a fair amount of them while im at work and i know im gonna have a busy couple of weeks so bear with me if im not that speedy with updates - it should be at least 1 a week for each story tho!!


	4. Chapter 4

Ok we're back to Harm's point of view for this chapter – its more like Harm thinking out loud or explaining his thoughts, apart from the final paragraph which is back in real time. Hope you like it :o) Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter!!

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**HARM'S POV**

Here I am sat at my desk. I'm supposed to be concentrating on the file in front of me, but I can't. My mind keeps drifting to my best friend. I think she likes that I keep taking her breakfast every morning. I know I do; it gives me the reassurance that I need to know that she is ok, a worry that's been giving me nightmares ever since we heard about Bud's accident. In the dreams she is the one who almost died. I don't know what I would have done if that were the case. If Bud had died it would have been terrible, I honestly don't know how we would have coped. But the idea of Mac dying is inconceivable, she is the most important thing in my life, she means the world to me. I hope she knows this even if I haven't found the word to express it yet. I know everybody thinks that we are both oblivious to the chemistry between us, which is the funniest thing I have ever heard, on my side at least, Mac I can never quite read; scared to face up to it maybe, but oblivious?! Never. I've been in love with her for as long as I can remember. It's something everyone, even my various exes, has been aware of, except Mac. Sometimes I think she can see it, and maybe even feels the same; others she seems completely unaware. One thing's for certain, Bud's accident may have forced us both to confront our feelings, push us into action. I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be to let go. The only issue I have is how to tell her….and when.

I haven't seen her very much this week. I miss her. The case she has been working on has been fairly harrowing from what I understand and she's been majorly busy and stressed. I enjoy our breakfasts together, as other than staff call, they are the only times I have seen her all week. We don't always speak; just sit there enjoying each other's company. It's favourite time of day, even if I do have to get up extra early for it.

Maybe I'll surprise her with dinner tomorrow evening. Her case is due for judgement that afternoon, and if I know my Marine all she'll want to do is have a bath and collapse on the sofa all night. I know she hasn't been eating or sleeping properly. I worry about her; she's so self-sufficient, but she doesn't always take very good care of herself. Maybe I'll suddenly gain the courage to tell her how I feel. There is a plan forming in my mind. One that will have one of only two outcomes; she'll either kick my six into next week for invading her privacy, or she'll be incredibly grateful and maybe we'll have a chance to talk. Of course I'm hoping that on this occasion actions will speak louder than words since we seem to have slight issues understanding each other when we do get round to talking.

If she's still speaking to me after tomorrow night, then I get to spend all of Saturday with her too. That makes my weekend prospects look a whole lot better. A whole day with Sarah Mackenzie. I can't think of anything better than that. Well, ok, maybe I can, but whatever that can be, it's always going to involve spending a hell of a lot more time with the aforementioned Marine. We are going to spend the day with our godson. Harriet has been so exhausted since Bud returned to American soil, I figured she deserved a day with just her husband. Plus I love spending time with little AJ; it's a win-win situation. I can't believe he is almost four already; I'm not quite sure what happened to the last four years. I still remember the day he was born as if it were yesterday. So much happened that day, it would be hard to forget it I suppose. I wonder if she still thinks about our baby deal. I'm secretly hoping that soon we'll get to the point where we could maybe fast forward the timeframe a little. There is truly no one else I would rather have as the mother of my children; she is perfect in every way. I don't think she realises that though. She would make a great mum. I've watched her with little AJ, she's so natural with him and he adores her. Maybe some day, if I'm lucky, I'll get to watch her with my own kids; our kids. My brains and her looks, is that what we agreed? Or was it the other way round? I forget. But I'm certain that any kids that share her DNA will be perfect.

I know one thing. In the next couple of days I am going to do everything in my power to show her how I feel. And I hope to god she understands me this time. We have had so many misunderstandings over the years, I often wonder how we got this far; and feel so relieved that we managed to start over after the whole Sydney/Brumby/Renee disaster. Its funny, I never believed in the idea of 'the one' before I met Mac. Now I know that Fate, destiny, kismet, what ever you want to call it, brought her into my life, and that she is here to stay. A life without Mac wouldn't be a life at all.

Sighing heavily, I pull myself from my reverie. At times like this I would appreciate having Mac's internal clock, I haven't a clue how long I've been sitting here staring at the same piece of paper which I haven't quite managed to read yet, but I know it's been a pretty long time. I sigh again and turn my attention back to the paper in my hand. I really should try and read it before my meeting with the Admiral which starts at…I look at my watch…shit! It was supposed to start 5 minutes ago. Right on cue, Tiner appears in my doorway and I jump to my feet, following him quickly to the Admiral's office.

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Hope you liked it. I was going to post a different chapter but I decided that this would help the next one make sense a bit more. That will be up in a couple of days, but in the meantime, please leave me some feedback if you have the time, it makes my day :o) 


	5. Chapter 5

Harm's plan is set into motion……………enjoy!!!!!!!

TO those of you reading Adrift part 3 – sorry I've been an age with an update, work has been hectic, I'll do my best to have another chapter up soon:-s sorry!!!

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Mac walked wearily up the stairs to her apartment, absolutely exhausted from a long day in court. The case had been a difficult one; she was defending a Marine Colonel accused downloading child pornography, a charge which her client vehemently denied despite a mountain of evidence found on his hard drive; evidence that Sturgis, as prosecutor, had brought out in court which she knew could haunt her if she let it. She was determined to get home, collapse on the sofa in her pyjamas with a big bar of chocolate and watch decidedly cheesy Friday night TV all evening. She opened the door, shrugging her coat off as she went. The aroma of seafood and garlic wafted around her, and she could hear music playing softly from her cd player. She stopped, completely confused, and a little bit scared.

"Hello?!" she called softly.

"I'm in here!" Harm's voice floated out of her kitchen. She moved quickly through her apartment, wondering what he was up to.

"Why are you here?!" she demanded, for some reason feeling irritated to find him there, as she walked into the kitchen, to find Harm standing at the hob, stirring something in a saucepan.

"Making sure that you are eating properly." He countered with a charming grin, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, completely unperturbed by her apparent anger at his presence. "I know how stressed you've been and I wanted to make sure you relaxed a bit." Mac smiled gratefully at him, the brief flicker of anger she had felt melting away as she took in his grand gesture.

"Why don't you go have a bath and relax for a bit and dinner will be ready in about half an hour."

"Thanks Harm." She smiled sleepily at him, and trudged out of the kitchen towards her bedroom.

* * *

As she lay in the bath, she let her mind wander to the handsome Navy Commander who was currently cooking her dinner. To say she had been shocked to find him in her apartment was an understatement, she had barely seen him all week, apart from at their breakfast 'dates' and staff call. She had been completely snowed under with the case, barely taking the time to eat lunch, let alone have a conversation with her best friend. _What is he doing here? _She wondered, completely befuddled. _Not that I'm complaining mind you, a girl could get used to this! He looked so comfortable standing there in my apartment, like he belonged there. _Her mind flashed back to the times she had seen Harm over the past week; he had brought her breakfast everyday. If any of the rest of the staff thought this was strange then they had kept it to themselves, _but then again, _she supposed, _the most likely person to notice has more important things on her mind right now. _Mac sighed, deciding it was better not to stress about it all. It wasn't as if she was averse to a change in their relationship, and she was happy to enjoy this new side of Harm. _We always mess this up through talking too much, _she thought, _maybe for once it would be better to just wait and see what happens. This is too important to screw up. _She smiled giddily to herself, it promised to be an interesting evening. Her reverie was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Mac!" Harm's voice floated through the door, "Are you almost done ninja girl? Dinner is almost ready!" Mac started slightly,

"But it's only been 23 minutes!" she called back, a cheeky grin playing across her face.

"I only said _about_ half an hour!" Harm replied, and Mac could here the amusement in his voice. "Now get your six out of that tub!"

"Yes sir, right away sir!" she replied sarcastically, moving to get out o f the tub. Harm turned away, pausing as he heard the water splashing about, realising just how close he was to a naked Sarah Mackenzie. He swallowed hard, and walked quickly back to the kitchen.

* * *

A few minutes later, Mac appeared wearing a pair of old grey tracksuit bottoms, and a baggy dark blue t-shirt which had 'NAVY' written across the front.

"Nice shirt!" Harm said with a good-natured grin, "It looks better on you then it does on me." Mac offered him a flirty smile.

"Thanks!" she said lightly, "Now, are you going to feed me or what Flyboy?!" Harm nodded in the direction of the lounge area.

"Dinner is served milady!" he said with a mock bow, ushering her out of the kitchen and into the other room.

He had set up the coffee table as a proper dining table, complete with candles, wine glasses, and a vase with a single orchid flower in. The TV was on, and the main menu page of Mac's 'Sleepless in Seattle' DVD was running quietly on a loop. Two plates of pasta were sat steaming on the table, with a basket of garlic bread sat between them. Mac took the whole scene in and let out a small, almost inaudible, sigh of contentment.

"This looks great Harm!" she said, moving over to collapse on the sofa, "Thank you! What's for dinner?"

"Shrimp Linguine" Harm replied, "Grandma Sarah's secret recipe. I know its not Beltway Burgers, but trust me, it tastes good!"

"It smells wonderful! What did I do to deserve this?" she asked,

"You don't need to do anything Mac!" Harm said earnestly, before carrying on quickly, "I could tell you haven't been eating or sleeping properly since Bud's accident, so I decided to do something about it. Besides, you are going to need your strength if you are going to help me look after AJ tomorrow!" Mac smiled at him again, a genuine, happy smile.

"Are you going to come and sit next to me sailor?!" she asked coyly, looking over at him with a hopeful smile. Harm flashed her the flyboy grin that she loved so much and moved quickly over to join her,

"Your wish is my command!" he replied, leaning forward to press play on the DVD remote. Mac attacked the food hungrily, suddenly realising just how hungry she was. As the credits of the films started to roll she looked over at her companion, one eyebrow raised slightly,

"Sleepless in Seattle flyboy?!" she asked teasingly, "since when did you start liking chick flicks?!"

"Too much time spent with my favourite Marine!" Harm countered with a grin, "anyway, we're watching Top Gun later!" Mac groaned slightly and rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she sighed, "I guess I can get on board with Tom Cruise in uniform!"

They carried on eating in relative silence, occasionally chatting easily about their plans for the following day. They were planning to take AJ in to D.C, to the Mall for a picnic, and maybe to the Air and Space Museum or the International Spy Museum, with Harm quite clearly rooting for the Air and Space Museum.

"That was amazing!" Mac said as she put her fork down on her empty plate. "Much better than Harm's meatless meatloaf!" she added with a teasing grin. Harm stuck his tongue out her.

"Just what was wrong with my meatless meatloaf?!" he asked, slightly indignantly. Mac giggled.

"Your answer is in the title there sailor!" she replied mischievously, "its meatloaf, its supposed to have meat in it!" Harm pouted slightly, turning to face her with a wicked glint in his eye. "What are you going to do..?!" she asked, a little wary of the look in his eye. He smiled innocently at her.

"Oh..." He said, moving slightly closer to her, "nothing..." He pounced on her quickly, before she had time to move, tickling her mercilessly.

"Ahhhhh!" Mac squealed, giggling hysterically as she squirmed around on the sofa trying to escape from his fingers. "Haaarrrmmmmm! Stop it!" she carried on, still squirming. He was laughing too, and for a moment she stopped moving to look up at him.

"Is my situation funny to you flyboy?!" she asked demurely, looking at up at him through her eyelashes, sending him what she hoped was a sexy smile. Harm swallowed hard, completely caught by the look Mac was giving him. Unconsciously he leaned forward, moving his face closer and closer to hers, his eyes fluttering shut, giving Mac the distraction she needed to quickly reverse their positions. Harm suddenly found himself lying on his back on the sofa, a victorious Marine straddling his lap, looking down at him with undisguised amusement. "Ha!" she said, giggling again at the look of shock on his face, "Not so tough now are you!" Harm tried to look angry and hurt for a second, but gave in quickly, chuckling softly,

"It's good to see you smile Jarhead." He said quietly, looking earnestly into her eyes. Mac smiled shyly at him, suddenly very aware of their proximity, and how their bodies fit so snugly together.

"Right back at ya Squid!" she admitted, looking away bashfully. "I guess no-one in JAG has had huge reasons to smile recently." She added sadly, thinking back to their time on the Guadalcanal waiting for news of Bud. Tears started to fill her eyes and she felt Harm reach over and gently take her hand in his.

"Hey" he said, shifting over slightly and pulling her towards him so she ended up lying next to him with her head on his chest. "It's ok Mac, everything's going to be ok." He gently stroked her back, feeling her shoulders shudder slightly as the tears started to fall.

"I'm sorry," she whispered into his chest, feeling thoroughly comforted by his actions. "I don't know what's going on with me at the moment." Try as she might, Mac couldn't stop the tears from falling. The stresses of the last few months finally caught up with her, the safety she felt in Harm's arms finally allowing her to let go. Harm relaxed slightly as she felt the shudders subside, but he continued his soothing ministrations until he realised that she had fallen asleep. This film credits started to roll shortly after, but he couldn't bear to disturb her, so he closed his eyes, trying to follow her example.

* * *

More than a few hours later, Mac awoke with a start, wondering momentarily where she was, and, more importantly, who had their arm wrapped so securely around her waist. It only took a couple of seconds before she recognised the guy she was half lying on; only Harm had ever made her feel this safe, so she tried to lay still, savouring the feeling of complete security and peace that she felt in his arms. As she lay there, the events of the evening came flooding back to her: Harm appearing her apartment, cooking her dinner, watching a film, a tickle fight. She felt the colour rise to her cheeks at the thought of the intimate position they had ended up in as a result of the tickle fight. She had obviously shifted slightly while in her reverie as her thoughts were interrupted by a slightly groggy voice from just above her head.

"Mac?" Harm whispered softly, looking down at the head of dark hair that lay on his chest. "Are you awake?" She moved slightly, as if getting ready to sit up and he tightened his grip on her waist to prevent her from moving; sure his back was going to be agony when they eventually did get up, but he couldn't help himself; he couldn't remember a time when he had been this comfortable.

"Yeah, I'm awake," she whispered back, feeling slightly embarrassed at how much she had cried. "Sorry about that." She added hesitantly.

"It's fine," Harm murmured in response, "what time is it anyway?"

"0722" Mac responded automatically, amazed at how long they had slept for. Harm sighed,

"I told Harriet that we would pick AJ up at 0900." He said, "I suppose we should get up, I need to pop home and get a change of clothes." Mac nodded imperceptibly, snuggling further into his chest.

"Just a few more minutes." She whispered, sighing softly as he gently started running his hand through her hair. They stayed like that for a few more minutes, in comfortable silence, each left to their own thoughts, unwittingly sharing very similar ones.

* * *

Finito!

Next chapter I'll cover their thoughts briefly, then we'll be on to a little bit of madness and mayhem with little AJ!

Hope you liked it! Let me know how you think I'm getting on with this:o)


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